Method for producing a freezing chamber and the freezing chamber obtained with this method

ABSTRACT

A method for producing a freezing chamber, a so-called whipping and freezing chamber, in ice cream making machines, comprises a step of producing a helical path between an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, a step of producing a first flange and a second flange for closing the opposite ends of the helical path; in the method said steps occurring simultaneously and being carried out by means of the same working step.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for producing a freezing chamber, and in particular a freezing chamber of an ice cream making machine.

Such chambers are designed to freeze liquid food products for the production of ice cream, using a whipping and freezing processing method.

As is known, the above-mentioned freezing chambers substantially consist of an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder which are coaxial with one another, forming a hollow space between them which extends along a helical path for the passage of a coolant.

A known method for producing such chambers is described in patent EP 0 519 252, in which the helical path is produced by winding a steel strip in a helical groove made on the outer surface of the inner cylinder.

A flange is then fixed to one end of the inner cylinder, then the outer cylinder is fixed using heat and finally a second closing flange is fixed to the second end.

In a second method, regarding the two end flanges, the first flange is produced by deforming the inner cylinder by calendering and the second closing flange for the chamber is produced by deforming the end edge of the outer cylinder until it makes contact with the outer surface of the inner cylinder, where it is fixed by welding.

Such known methods involve numerous working steps.

In the first case, a first flange is positioned on the first cylinder and welded there; the steel strip is wound around the inner cylinder; a second closing flange is fixed in place.

In the second case the flange of one end of the inner cylinder is produced first by deforming one end of the latter; the steel strip is wound around the outer cylinder; the other end of the outer cylinder is deformed to obtain the second flange.

Therefore, it is evident that such methods require lengthy working times and the use of various machine tools, consequently increasing production costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is therefore to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages by producing a freezing chamber which drastically limits the working times and the relative costs.

Accordingly the present invention achieves said aim with a method for producing a freezing chamber, and in particular a freezing chamber of an ice cream making machine, which has the characteristics described in one or more of the claims herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technical features of the invention, in accordance with the afore-mentioned aims, are clearly indicated in the claims herein and the advantages of the invention are more apparent in the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment without limiting the scope of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a portion of an ice cream making machine equipped with a freezing chamber in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a first embodiment of the freezing chamber of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively a perspective view and a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the freezing chamber;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively a perspective view and a schematic side view of a third embodiment of the freezing chamber;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the freezing chamber of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, the numeral 1 denotes as a whole a freezing chamber, which is part of an ice cream making machine 2, whose base 3 is partly illustrated.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the freezing chamber 1 consists of a substantially cylindrical body 4, whose axis is labeled 5. The cylindrical body 4 comprises an inner cylinder 6, whose left-hand end (seen in FIG. 2), positioned at an opening 7 made in a front wall 8 of the base 3, is sealed closed by a lid 9 of the known type.

The outer cylindrical surface 10 of the inner cylinder 6 bears a spiral groove 11, in which one edge of a substantially flat metal strip 12 is inserted.

The metal strip 12 therefore forms, with its coils 13 which have a predetermined constant pitch p, a helical path 14.

The cylindrical body 4 also comprises an outer cylinder 15 coaxial with the inner cylinder 6 and fitted on the latter using heat, so as to seal closed, with its inner cylindrical surface 16, the helical path 14.

The inner cylinder 6 and the outer cylinder 15 are connected to one another at the respective longitudinal ends by two flanges, labeled 17 and 18 from left to right. Said flanges 17, 18, which constitute the elements that close the two ends of the helical path 14, consist of a plurality of coils 13 of the metal strip 12 drawn near to one another and rendered integral with the surface 10 of the inner cylinder 6 with respective ring-shaped welds 19.

The helical path 14 constitutes a circuit for the passage of a coolant, whose inlet and outlet consist respectively of a sleeve 20 and a sleeve 21, fixed at respective holes 22 made in the wall of the outer cylinder 15 close to the flanges 17 and 18.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the freezing chamber 1 is differentiated from that described and illustrated in FIG. 2 in that the coils 13 forming the helical path 14 and the two end flanges 17 and 18, are obtained by turning work on the outer surface 10 of the inner cylinder 6, on which the outer cylinder 15 is fitted (FIG. 4).

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 the freezing chamber 1 differs from that illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 solely in that the helical path 14 and the two end flanges 17 and 18 are produced with turning work on the inner surface 16 of the outer cylinder 15, in which the inner cylinder 6 is inserted.

Finally, with reference to FIG. 7, the end flange 17 is formed by applying a ring-shaped element 23 after the working step and may be made of a plastic material.

The invention described has evident industrial applications and may be modified and adapted without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements. 

1. A method for producing a freezing chamber, in ice cream making machines, comprising: a step of producing a helical path between an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, a step of producing a first flange and a second flange for closing the opposite ends of the helical path, wherein the step of producing the helical path and the step of producing at least a first end flange substantially coincide and are carried out by means of the same working step.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the helical path comprises the sub-steps of winding a plurality of metal coils around the inner cylinder to form a spiral, producing a first flange by drawing near two or more coils of a first end of the spiral, producing a second flange by drawing near one or more coils of a second end of the spiral.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein it comprises the step of using a ring-shaped weld to fix the end flanges to the surface of the inner cylinder.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the helical path and the step of producing at least one of the end flanges consist of a working operation on the inner cylinder.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the helical path and the step of producing at least one of the end flanges consist of a working operation on the outer cylinder.
 6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the working operation on the inner cylinder or on the outer cylinder consists of a turning operation.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein it comprises the step of producing a second end flange by means of an assembly operation.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second end flange is made of a plastic material and is assembled by mechanical clamping.
 9. A freezing chamber, in ice cream making machines, wherein it is obtained using the method in accordance with claim
 1. 10. An ice cream making machine, wherein it comprises a chamber in accordance with claim
 9. 11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the working operation on the inner cylinder or on the outer cylinder consists of a turning operation.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein it comprises the step of producing a second end flange by means of an assembly operation.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second end flange is made of a plastic material and is assembled by mechanical clamping.
 14. The method according to claim 3, wherein it comprises the step of producing a second end flange by means of an assembly operation.
 15. The method according to claim 4, wherein it comprises the step of producing a second end flange by means of an assembly operation.
 16. The method according to claim 5, wherein it comprises the step of producing a second end flange by means of an assembly operation.
 17. A freezing chamber, in ice cream making machines, wherein it is obtained using the method in accordance with claim
 8. 18. An ice cream making machine, wherein it comprises a chamber in accordance with claim
 17. 